Planting

It is not a simple matter to plant or "place a vine". All the soils of the Rioja are apt for vines, but it is better to discard the very rich "black" soils, very cold soils or those areas prone to frost damage. The first of these would yield a large quantity of grapes but with a low alcohol content, and the last would give very green grapes.

Having chosen the land, it is necessary to remember that vines send their roots very deep and it is necessary to plant them in deep soil. This is done with subsoilers or ploughs to a depth of one metre. It is easy to understand how the use of tractors has extended the land available for planting vines. There is a lot of land in the Rioja with alluvial soil which rests on a limestone crust at a depth of less than metre. This, formerly, was impossible to work with only mules and donkeys. Today, however, this crust can be broken to extend the nutritional area for the roots of the vine.

It should also be borne in mind that after a vine has been uprooted, the land should be cultivated with cereals or leguminous plants for five or six seasons before replacing the vines; although today there are special fertilizers which can accelerate this process.

What vine should I plant? This is the first question which the vinegrower asks himself. This has two aspects as each vine also has two parts. Its roots come from one type of vine called the "foot" and the part above ground is of another type called the "wine-producing" part. The reason for this double origin of every vine is due to the need for strong roots and good grapes. The "foot" is chosen in accordance with the type of soil and the "wine-producing" part according to the type of wine one wishes to obtain within the six basic types of the Rioja.

How many vines per hectare? Traditionally in the Rioja from 2,500 to 3,500 vines are planted per hectare, the maximum density being attained in some parts of the Rioja Alavesa. None of the new technologies advise that this plant density should be increased or decreased.

Once sufficient depth has been given to the vine, lumps of soil are broken up to allow the plant to settle firmly in compacted soil without gaps, avoiding frost and the consequences of drought. Subsequently the land is marked out with string and stakes to determine the rows and lanes.

There are still numerous plantations which use the old planting frame or square. Recently, with the advent of machinery for working with tractors, it has become necessary to give the lanes greater width and a specific orientation in order to receive sunlight; also to protect the vines from the wind, prevent erosion from rain and improve working conditions for tractors.

The classical frames are of 1.8 m x 1.8 m in the Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja, which means a density of 3,086 vines per hectare and 1.9 m x 1.9 m in the Rioja Alta which, in turn, represents a density of 2,770 vines per hectare.

The introduction of new frames allowing for tractors, has not altered the density of vines per hectare, although it has modified the surface area dedicated to each vine. Thus, a frequently-used modern frame measures 2.6 m x 1.3 m, and means 2,958 vines per hectare.

During more remote times it seems that the "royal frame" used measured two "varas", i.e., 1.67 x 1.67 m.

It is customary in the Rioja to carry out planting from February 15th and before 20th April. Taking advantage of the Spring rains and humidity, avoiding the droughts and frosts of other seasons.